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Founded in a Boston dormroom

Mayor’s race goes national

The report by John King begins by discussing how Democrats can win nationwide despite winning only a tiny fraction of counties, and winning huge in the big cities. The discussion then moves to Texas, and if Democrats can win by just taking the cities. King lists the cities: El Paso, San Antonio, Austin, Dallas and the pauses before noting “the biggest of them all,” Houston.

Annise Parker is then interviewed by CNN, and discusses the changing demographics and diversity of Houston, followed by why she thinks Texas can be won by the Democratic Party in the future.

Then, in my favorite part of the video, the shot cuts to a gym where the Mayor and First Lady Kahty Hubbard are exercising. Hubbard is wearing the famous orange “Stand with Texas women” shirt, a nice touch for the Mayor’s liberal credentials. Parker then discusses her support of gay marriage, and her desire to get married in Houston.

CNN then interviews Jared Woodfill, the Chairman of the Harris County Republican Party, who doubles down on bigotry and his opposition to any form of recognition for gay couples. Perhaps the most noteworthy part of the all-too-brief yet all-too-long interview with Woodfill is that gigantic portraits of George W. Bush and Rick Perry are erected on the wall behind him.

Only at that point, over 3 minutes into the 4 minute video, does CNN even mention the Mayoral election. The coverage begins with “But Republicans don’t even have a top tier candidate…it is fellow Democrat Ben Hall who says he will deny Mayor Parker a third term.” Interesting to note the media outlets, such as Channel 13, who gave the distinction of “top tier” to Eric Dick, while the big national institutions do not.

King gives Hall a few seconds of air time, and closes with a teaser about where Parker’s political career will go next, discussing the possibility of Parker running for Governor.

I, for one, have no earthly idea what CNN was trying to do with this report. The title of the video was “Houston mayoral race a sign of a political shift?,” but the video barely even touched upon the election. Instead, the video seemed much more like a friendly interview for Parker than anything else. Still, I have no doubt the video will bring greater exposure to the election.